Afterlife Realms and the
Near-Death Experience

If
you want to know what life after death is
like, pay close attention to your dreams.
There is a lot of circumstantial evidence suggesting the
equivalence of the mental realm of your dreams with the afterlife realms
described in near-death testimonies. Both describe the realm of
the mind, soul, and spirit. In the realm of the mind, all things
are possible. Life after death means freeing yourself from all
physical limitations and fully inhabiting the realm of thought
and spirit. Here, it is what one thinks that is important. It
is a realm where thoughts are deeds and we are what we think.

If a person reads enough
near-death accounts, it is possible for them to create a kind
of heavenly roadmap that describes the soul's journey after
death. Throughout recorded history, science and religion has
revealed an ultimate reality made up of 10 separate components.
Here is the evidence:

During
Lynnclaire
Dennis' NDE, she entered into the light and
saw the Universal Pattern and Source of all life
which was in a shape that resembles an atom with
electrons revolving around it. Her pattern eventually
caught the eye of scientists because of its compatibility
with
the knotted pattern of 10-dimensional space
in physics.

Heaven is
not up and hell is not below. The various afterlife
realms are like various frequencies on the light
spectrum - most of which is invisible to the naked
eye.

b.

We are already
living in the "afterlife" right now. This is because
our experience in this physical, three-dimensional
universe is just one of many realms we have already
experienced.

c.

We do not
have to die to experience the afterlife and eternity.
Eternity is not something that begins after death.
We are already in eternity now - the "eternal now."

2. The Nature of the Afterlife
Realms

P.M.H. Atwater uses a good analogy when describing death
and the various afterlife realms: "There is a step-up of energy at the moment of death, an
increase in speed as if you are suddenly vibrating faster
than before. Using radio as an analogy, this speed-up is
comparable to having lived all your life at a certain radio
frequency when all of a sudden someone or something comes
along and flips the dial. That flip shifts you to
different frequency. The original frequency where you once
existed is still there. It did not change. Everything is
still just the same as it was. Only you changed, only you
speeded up to allow entry into the next radio frequency
on the dial. You fit your particular spot on the dial by
your speed of vibration. You cannot coexist forever where
you do not belong. You shift frequencies in dying. You switch
over to life on another wavelength. You are still a spot
on the dial but you move up or down a notch or two. You
don't die when you die. You shift your consciousness and
speed of vibration. That's all death is ... a shift." (P.M.H. Atwater)

The graph below represents a roadmap through the various
afterlife realms that experiencers have encountered in near-death
experiencers. Looking at the map below, you can see that
the journey to heaven begins, of course, with the Earth
which exists within the realm of the physical universe (level
0). You can see that from level 0 we travel through the
earthbound realm (level 1), then through the void (level
2) and then to heaven (level 3). For a detailed description
of these realms, click on the links just given. (Kevin
Williams)
3. The First Four Afterlife
Realms Including the Earth

Heaven

<-----

level
3

Void

<-----

level
2

Earthbound

<-----

level
1

Earth

<-----

level
0

There is one particular aspect to
near-death accounts that varies greatly and that is the
path by which experiencers travel to reach the various afterlife
realms. By analyzing the various NDE accounts on this website,
a map of the various paths to heaven can be created.

4. The Many Paths Through the Afterlife
Realms

Earth

Earthbound

Void

Receiving

Station

Heaven

(Path A)

>

(Path B)

>

(Path C)

>

>

(Path D)

>

(Path E)

>

>

>

(Path F)

>

>

>

There are very likely other paths but these are the ones
I have encountered most often. Lets go through each path
one at a time.

(Path A) Earth
to Earthbound Realm

Earthbound

<-----

(level
1)

Earth

<-----

(level
0)

"The journey to the earthbound
realm is so subtle that many souls who travel there
are not even aware they have died. Several cases
in point is
Dr. George Ritchie and
Dr. Dianne Morrissey.
Both of them didn't realize they were dead until
they saw their dead body. Any near-death experience
where the dead body is seen from a distance is an
experience in the earthbound realm." (Kevin
Williams)

"One of the best descriptions
concerning the transition between the Earth and
the earthbound realm is the near-death account of
Dr. George Ritchie. Ritchie's experience and some
of the NDEs below actually go much farther than
the earthbound realm, but these experiences are
the best description of the earthbound realm. Ritchie's
NDE is the one that inspired
Dr. Raymond Moody to
initiate scientific research into NDEs. Other earthbound
descriptions are from: Dr. Dianne Morrissey (the
complete account in her book),
Josiane Antonette,
Rev. Howard Pittman, Emanuel Swedenborg and Ruth
Montgomery." (Kevin
Williams)

(Path B)
Earth to
Void

Void

<-----

(level 2)

Tunnel

(pass through earthbound)

Earth

<-----

(level 0)

"Some people report entering
the void immediately after death without having
to go through the tunnel. Others do report entering
the void through the tunnel. Some people, such as
Dr. George Ritchie, do not go through a tunnel but
are led from one realm to the other by a Being of
Light." (Kevin
Williams)

"One of the best descriptions
of the void comes from the near-death account of
Mellen-Thomas Benedict. It is also one of the best
and profound near-death accounts you will read.
Other excellent void descriptions can be found in
the NDEs of: Guenter Wagner, Dr. George Ritchie,
Rev. Howard Storm, Angie Fenimore, RaNelle Wallace,
and Don Brubaker." (Kevin
Williams)

(Path C)
Earth to
Void to
Heaven

Heaven

<-----

(level 3)

Tunnel

Void

<-----

(level 2)

Tunnel

(pass through earthbound)

Earth

<-----

(level 0)

"Some people describe entering
the void either through the tunnel or not through
the tunnel. Once in the void, some people immediately
return to their body and their NDE is over. Other
people, such as Guenter Wagner, have an extended
experience in the void and then return to their
bodies. But in the map above, you can see that some
people leave the void then enter heaven. Once in
the void, the only way out of it is through the
love you have cultivated within you during life.
In the void, once a person begins to think, remember,
feel and realize love, the tunnel opens and you
enter toward the light. Some people, such as Linda
Stewart, leave the void with the help of a Being
of Light. The void is totally devoid of love and
light and the only way you can be attracted to the
light is by realizing the love within you.

"One of the best descriptions
concerning the transition from the Earth to void
to heaven is the near-death account of Rev. Howard
Storm. Another near-death account involving a trip
through the void on the way to heaven is the near-death
account of Linda Stewart. (Kevin
Williams)

(Path D)
Earth to
Heaven

Heaven

<-----

(level 3)

Tunnel

(pass through earthbound and void)

Earth

<-----

(level 0)

"Some people do not report
an experience with the earthbound realm or the void.
The travel to heaven directly my means of the tunnel.
For example, Edgar Cayce traveled through the tunnel
literally thousands of times and during each time,
he would be able to see all the levels of the afterlife
passing by him as he went straight to heaven to
get his information. Why some people enter heaven
by different methods is anyone's guess. Perhaps
people travel to afterlife realms according to how
much they have earned it in life and in past lives.
This would explain some children have experiences
in heaven without having to earn it in their current
life and this suggests to me that they have earned
it in a previous life. That is just my 2 cents worth."
(Kevin
Williams)

"One of the best descriptions
concerning the transition from the Earth directly
to heaven is the near-death account of Betty Eadie.
Other NDEs involving a direct trip to heaven are
from: Dannion Brinkley, Jayne Smith, David Goines,
Jan Price, May Eulitt, Carl Jung, Edgar Cayce, and
John Star." (Kevin
Williams)

(Path E)
Earth to
Earthbound Realm
to Void to
Heaven

Heaven

<-----

(level 3)

Tunnel

Void

<-----

(level 2)

Tunnel

Earthbound

<-----

(level 1)

Earth

<-----

(level 0)

"An interesting aspect
of near-death accounts is that if one reads enough
of them, one begins to understand the various transitions
from the Earth to heaven. The map above represents
near-death accounts that involve all the first three
levels (earthbound, void, heaven). Some of these
reports, such as Dr. George Ritchie's, are virtually
guided tours by a Being of Light. Often, these kind
of experiences are the most transcendental." (Kevin
Williams)

"Those cases who came closest
to death, or were clinically dead, just as Moody's
cases reported, told of being outside of their bodies,
of moving through a void or dark tunnel toward a
luminous light, of meeting with departed relatives
and friends, of having a feeling of great comfort
and bliss and of being surrounded by compassionate
love, a feeling so beautiful they longed to remain,
and when they returned to the earthly realm, they
were affected by this feeling the rest of their
lives." (Dr. Kenneth Ring)

Edgar Cayce would leave
his body and become oppressed by the darkness. He
would then experience a tremendous feeling of loneliness.
He would then see a white beam of light and know
that he must follow it or be lost. Whenever he would
move through the tunnel toward the light, he would
travel through various afterlife levels where unusual
beings dwelled. On the first afterlife level, there
were vague, horrible, grotesque forms such as one
would see in a nightmare. Moving on, he would see
on either side of the tunnel, misshapen forms of
human beings with some part of the body magnified.
He would also see people on both sides of the tunnel
calling out to him for help and trying to get his
attention. But Cayce knew that any deviation from
the tunnel would mean that he wouldn't be able to
return to his body. As he moved farther up the tunnel,
the darkness would become lighter and the realm
more colorful. At the end of the tunnel, he would
then enter the Hall of Records, the heavenly source
for the information he obtains. (Edgar Cayce)

Howard Pittman entered
the second realm (the void) where no love existed
and where demons there were participating in their
area of expertise in tormenting souls. Pittman was
then taken to the first realm (the earthbound realm)
which he learned was in a spirit realm near the
Earth where demons stalk the living. It was in this
realm that he saw demons in all shapes and forms.
He was then led back to the second realm and to
the entrance to a tunnel where angels were leading
souls to the third realm (identified as one of the
heavenly realms). (Rev. Howard Pittman)

Jan Price saw the skyline
of a great city with three different dimensions.
The first had a dinginess pervading the atmosphere.
There was a gloominess, and everything was gray,
even the inhabitants, but she sensed that somewhere
beneath the discoloration pulsed life and beauty.
It brought to her mind the lowest levels of existence
in the world from which she came. Evil walked the
squalid streets with malevolent bearing. No one
there was up to, or expected, any good. From that
dark dimension, each succeeding higher dimension
became more colorful and more light. (Jan Price)

After death we work our
way up through the various levels of consciousness.
We go through the tunnel and are able to go through
the darker levels, which can represent a form of
hell or purgatory, because these are the two negative
levels, or the darker ones. But if we've been a
good person, we generally just seem to pass through
them very quickly and then we go on through the
third and fourth levels of consciousness. When we
go through these levels we meet our relatives and
friends greeting us at the end of the tunnel where
they're waiting and lead us into the light." (George
Anderson)

As
Mellen-Thomas Benedict
passed into the second light [the void], he expanded
beyond the first light. He found himself in a profound
stillness, beyond all silence. He could see or perceive
FOREVER, beyond Infinity. He realized that he was
in the void. He realized he was in pre-creation,
before the Big Bang. He had crossed over the beginning
of time and into the Eye of Creation. He felt as
if he was touching the Face of God and was at one
with Absolute Life and Consciousness. Mellen-Thomas
described the void this way: "The void is less than
nothing, yet more than everything that is! The void
is absolute zero; chaos forming all possibilities.
It is much more than even Universal Intelligence.
The void is inside and outside everything. You,
right now even while you live, are always inside
and outside the void simultaneously. You don't have
to go anywhere or die to get there. The void is
the vacuum or nothingness between all physical manifestations.
The SPACE between atoms and their components. Modern
science calls it zero-point. The void is completely
out of time and space as we know it. The void itself
is devoid of experience. It is pre-life, before
the first vibration. While Mellen-Thomas was in
the void, he was aware of everything that had ever
been created. It was like he was looking through
the eyes of God. Suddenly he wasn't him anymore;
he had become God." (Mellen-Thomas Benedict)

(Path F) From
Earth to
Void to
Receiving Station
to Heaven

Heaven

Receiving Station

<-----

(level 3)

Tunnel

Void

<-----

(level 2)

Tunnel

(pass through earthbound)

Earth

<-----

(level 0)

"Some people on the way
to heaven first enter a heavenly receiving station
where other souls are seen entering into as well.
This receiving station is a place where people can
meet deceased relatives and friends, have a life
review, and/or move on to other structures within
heaven. Some of these other structures that have
been seen is a heavenly temple, a heavenly library,
or a temple of knowledge. At this point, there are
other higher heavens to go and it is my opinion
that these are beyond the reach of people having
a NDE. Often, it is in this first heavenly realm
where people are told they must return. The following
are experiences with this heavenly receiving stations."
(Kevin
Williams)

Diego Valencia entered
a dim, colorless, train station-like realm where
grayish entities were being helped by guides from
a foggy realm near Earth. He was then given the
decision to either return to his body or stay. (Diego
Valencia)

George Ritchie entered
the earthbound realm where he observed souls stalking
the living because of some earthly desire. In the
second realm (the void), he observed angry spirits
locked into hand to hand combat, trying in vain
to hurt each other. In the third realm, he observes
souls being led into a heavenly weigh station. After
visiting a heavenly library, he is shown a distant
city made of brilliant light. Its description resembled
the city described in the Book of Revelation. (Dr.
George Ritchie)

Dr. Michael Newton's research
of afterlife experiencers yielded the following
conclusions: All souls, regardless of experience,
eventually arrive at a central port in the spirit
world that is like a staging area for orientation.
Once past this station there seems to be no further
detour. A large number of returning souls are transported
in a kind of spiritual form of mass transit. Souls
are brought in, collected, and then projected out
to their proper final destinations similar to a
central terminal of a metropolitan airport that
has the capacity to fly people out in any direction.
The most outstanding characteristic of this place
is a continuous feeling of a powerful mental force
directing everything in uncanny harmony. Some have
said that this is a realm of pure thought. (Dr.
Michael Newton)

David Oakford was taken
to a great city in the shadow and clouds above Earth
which he discovered was heaven. He observed the
souls of humans and animals flying to and from the
great city and back to the Earth. He observed many
souls coming to the city with guides. Some of the
souls were sad, beaten and scared. In the city,
David entered a large building where he had a life
review. (David Oakford)

Ned Dougherty was in the
deepest void of space feeling comfortable and at
home. Ned then entered into a magnificent ethereal
structure. This heavenly structure resembled an
amphitheater made of a brilliant, crystal-like substance.
The amphitheater was suspended in the void of space
in the same fashion that a space station might hover
in space. The amphitheater was similar in size to
a sports stadium and conveyed a great majesty. It
was here that Ned experienced a life review. (Ned
Dougherty)

One woman went through
a black tunnel and entered a black void of absolute
nothingness. She discovered that the darkness existed
in every direction. She sensed an entity in the
darkness with her and she asked it, "What happened?"
Through telepathy, the entity replied, "You're dead."
The entities reply was as if it enjoyed telling
her this. As soon as she realized this, a clear
white bright light brought her into a huge, wonderful,
stadium or amphitheater where love and music emanated
from it. (P. Anderson)

"As we walked along together
to find Jesus, I noticed there was one building
larger than all the others. It looked like a football
stadium with an open end to the building where a
blinding light radiated from it. I tried to look
up at the light but I couldn't. It was too brilliant.
Many people seemed to be bowed in front of this
building in adoration and prayer. I said to my parents,
'What is that?' They said, 'In there is God.'" (An
accountant)

"There was no tunnel or
light. I 'awoke' standing upright in the back of
what looked like a large auditorium-type place,
without the chairs. The wall were gold and had jewels
embedded in them. I was far in the back at first
and couldn't figure out where I was. There were
horns playing loud classical-type music and it was
a very formal-type ceremony. There were dancers
with beautifully colored flags dancing in a supernatural
sort of way. I felt my presence coming in closer,
but I didn't feel legs moving underneath me." (Lisa)

"In luxuriant warmth we
moved on, drawn higher into the valley, moving toward
the Source of the light. I made a single turn, and
the meadow suddenly became an amphitheater. On a
stage that seemed to be suspended in front of me,
I witnessed, with my grandmother, what seemed to
be an encore performance of my life." (Lynnclaire
Dennis)

There exists a kind of
weigh station in the spirit realm which is a transient
place where souls decide their next destination.
This transient place is the junction between various
cosmic realms. It is both a usual and an unusual
place related to the soul's evolution. (Edgar Cayce)

Carter Mills was taken
to a suspended platform where he met a being so
powerful that he thought it was God. The angels
bowed and took their places with two others
at the platform's four corners. Carter learned that
the powerful being was Jesus. Carter is then led
through a life review. (Carter Mills)

5. The Connection Between
the Body and Afterlife Realms

According to
Edgar Cayce,
Eastern mysticism, and NDE studies, the human body
is a receiver of cosmic energy (like a radio) for
which we are able to connect with spiritual realms
in the afterlife. This "receiver" aspect of the
human body is made up of a system of endocrine glands
within our body (see chart on the right) which are
points of contact to an associated system of spiritual
energy centers (called "chakras" in the East) which
are collectively called the "subtle" or "astral
body" (or simply the "soul"). The soul body is the
"vehicle" by which people have near-death experiences,
out-of-body experiences, and lucid dreams for example.
Near-death experiencers such as Cayce and Mellen-Thomas
Benedict have described how our solar system is
actually a physical representation of our higher
spirit body. This revelation explains how planetary-astrological
forces can influence us here on Earth.

The soul body is also
the energetic form of the physical body. The spiritual
centers of the soul body are points of contact where
the physical, emotional, and spiritual aspects of
the body come together. Each spiritual center associated
with an endocrine gland is also a point of contact
to a particular invisible afterlife realm represented
physically by one of the planets of our solar system
(see the chart below). Cayce identified a particular
afterlife realm by giving it the same name as its
corresponding planets in our solar system. For example,
the planet Jupiter is the 5th planet from the sun
and is the physical manifestation of an invisible
afterlife realm that is 7th in the afterlife hierarchy.
The pituitary gland - the "master" gland of the
body - is associated with the "third eye" chakra
in Eastern religions and is the point of contact
connecting our physical body to 7th afterlife realm
represented physically by the planet Jupiter.

Each spiritual energy
center corresponds to one of the seven notes on
a musical scale: C, D, E, F, G, A, B. Each spiritual
center also corresponds to a color on the light
spectrum of which there are seven: red, orange,
yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet (or white).
The positive and negative "vibes" a person is outwardly
exposed to in life can influence the inward functioning
of the endocrine glands and their corresponding
spiritual center. The dominant vibration - positive
or negative - within a person's body reflects which
spiritual center is dominant within a person's life.
It is the dominant vibration of a person's life
- body and spirit - which determines the level of
the corresponding afterlife realm they have attained.
Certain yoga meditation techniques (such as chanting
mantras) have been used in the East to raise the
quality of the spiritual energy vibration to help
heal the mind, body and spirit.

6. NDE Insights Concerning
the Various Afterlife Realms

"In the afterlife, our
thoughts are no longer private, but become known
to all around us. People of the same kind of thoughts
are drawn to each other because it is too threatening
to be with others with whom we disagree when they
know it." (Dr. George Ritchie)

"After death, people gravitate
into homogenous groups according to the rate of
their soul's vibrations. If the percentage of discord
in a person is small, it can be eliminated by the
Master-Vibration of God; then the remaining good
can live there. However, if there is more discord
within a soul's vibrations than good, this cannot
be done and the person must gravitate to a lower
afterlife level and live with people of their kind. Each
person lives in the kind of a heaven or hell which
they prepared for themselves while on Earth. Nobody
sends us anywhere. We are sorted by the high or
low vibrations of our soul. Everyone goes where
they fit in." (Arthur Yensen)

"After death, the dimension
of the afterlife we travel to is determined by the
level of spiritual development we have attained
while on Earth." (Edgar Cayce)

"In the afterlife, everyone
is free to visit the various afterlife realms and
nothing is restricted. The only governor is the
state of the conscious mind. Deeply held beliefs
come into visible expression there. Not everyone
has the same experience because everyone creates
his or her own experience. Subtle energies slowly
open restrictive, closed minds in order to accept
greater understanding." (Jan Price)

"We can not dwell in the
higher spiritual realms until we have perfectly
qualified for it by a change of heart and mind,
a significant amount of preparation, and by completing
our mission." (Dr. Craig Lundahl)

"Those living in the higher
realms radiate the brightest light and their glory
must be cloaked when people in the lower realms
look at them. It is possible for people in the lower
realms to visit higher realms, but they must be
prepared or covered so they can stand in the presence
of greater glory." (Dr. Craig Lundahl)

"Our Earth experience determines
our afterlife destiny, but no one is locked there,
and each can progress to higher and higher levels
of being." (Jan Price)

"How does a person get
ahead of others in the afterlife? They don't. There
is no place in heaven for discontent or personal
ambition. Some people may not be able to change
at all after they arrive in the afterlife. On Earth,
we can change ourselves quite easily and should
use this life to make ourselves into the kind of
people we want to be in the afterlife." (Arthur Yensen)

"Death is merely the doorway
to the next level of soul growth and evolution."
(Edgar Cayce)

"In the afterlife, death
on Earth is considered a graduation." (Rev. Howard
Storm)

"Infants who die are taken
in spirit to a place where they are nurtured, taught
and mature." (Dr. Craig Lundahl)

"There are heavenly hospitals
full of injured and crippled souls - the result
of their hard faring on Earth - who are nursed back
to health so that they can begin their work in heaven."
(Dr. Craig Lundahl)

"To travel from one point
to another in the afterlife, all one has to do is
think about it." (Dr. Dianne Morrissey)

"Those on the other side
can observe what is happening on Earth whenever
they choose to do so." (Jan Price)

"Each afterlife realm has
a theme for learning. The physical realm exists
for us to test our ideals and learn from them." (David
Oakford)

"How we lived our life
on Earth determines which heavenly realm we have
earned and travel to after death. We choose our
own pace through the afterlife realms." (Betty Bethards)

"The afterlife realms are
experiences of enjoyment and recreation. People
do things they enjoy and keep company with people
they enjoy in a realm of joyful activity. The skills,
interests, and abilities developed on Earth may
be reflected in the roles chosen in eternity. We
contribute uniquely toward the goodness and beauty
in the realm we inhabit which is vast and of transcendent
beauty. Our quality of life in spirit is directly
affected by our heart and activities on Earth. Opportunities
for practicing love continues." (Nora Spurgin)

"The most difficult thing
for a person who has been deeply steeped in a particular
religious tradition is to realize that the form
alone is not what elevates a person; it is the heart.
Still, those who cling to an external form of religion
will be most comfortable with others who practice
the same rituals, whatever they may be. In this
sense, congregations may continue centered around
the particular religious traditions they practiced
while on Earth." (Nora Spurgin)

"Our moral obligation to
help others continues after death. Death does not
eliminate our obligations. We are still given opportunities
in spirit realms to freely serve others." (Margaret
Tweddell)

"In heaven, we can remember
our real identity and know what possibilities exist
for soul growth. We do not move forward until we
choose to." (Dr. PMH Atwater)

"After death, we can choose
to observe people on Earth to see how they deal
with situations. Our behavior on Earth provides
a teaching ground for those in spirit." (Betty Bethards)

"When a soul incarnates
to Earth, they will be more influenced by the afterlife
realm they just came from, the planet it represents,
and the astrological configuration at the time of
their birth. These planetary influences allow us
to receive certain lessons and tests related to
our karma. Our free will has absolute power over
any planetary or heavenly realm - even God." (Edgar
Cayce)

"A heavenly computer exists
in the spirit realm that is designed to help us
choose our destiny." (Dr. Allen Kellehear's research)

"There
are many rooms in the Father's house
just as there are many grades in
school. The period of time we spend
on Earth is but one grade of life.
It is but a beginning."
- Robert A. Russell